New Orleans-inspired jazz for everyone

"With your eyes closed, you could have been on Bourbon Street."

New York Daily News

Photo by Sasithon Photography

Baby Soda Jazz Band is always a hit. This charming, joyous jazz ensemble can often be found busking in the streets of NYC or swinging on festival stages, but Baby Soda Jazz Band has also played many, many weddings & private events.

Baby Soda’s early-jazz, New Orleans-inspired sound immediately impresses guests and creates an elegant, fun atmosphere. The band’s repertoire of early-20th century jazz (sometimes called “hot jazz” or “prohibition jazz” or “street jazz”), along with their deep roots in American Songbook classics, makes bridging the generational gaps at a wedding or party easy.

As not just a wedding band, but an actual, real band - performing at dances and events nationwide - Baby Soda is a crowd favorite with its own fan following. They've performed in concert halls, on television, and on the radio, but can most regularly be seen in and around their home base of New York City.

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"The music was absolutely swinging."

A wedding client

The Story Behind Baby Soda

Baby Soda Jazz Band was formed in 2007 in Brooklyn, New York, by musicians who met playing traditional jazz in Washington Square Park and the NYC subway system. The group has grown and changed over the years, to include a large family of talented New York musicians, many of whom have traveled to NYC to realize their musical aspirations.

"Baby Soda provides a feel-good take on vintage Dixieland sounds."

"[Baby Soda] plays the kind of music you hope to hear, with a Sazerac in hand, on the thoroughfares of New Orleans’ French Quarter." - New York Magazine

The Band's Style

The band’s current repertoire has expanded beyond early jazz to include more of the music of Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Harry Warren & the composers who created the great American songs of Tin Pan Alley.

Baby Soda’s musicians are not recreationists, playing note for note transcriptions, but instead, they play this expanded repertoire in the New Orleans style of small ensemble improvisation, blending arranged and improvised ensemble sections.

"This is your 2nd warning!"

NYPD

Baby Soda's early traditional jazz makes the perfect wedding music.

Photo by JC Lemon

The older generation remembers it fondly, and their children are discovering the music for themselves; the toddlers dance!

Baby Soda can provide music for the ceremony, cocktail reception, dinner and dancing, or any portion of the event. They can play traditional Jewish wedding music as well as their jazz repertoire. Their “second line” parade march makes for a lively and memorable wedding Recessional. This march is often utilized for leading guests from one section of the wedding to another, such as the ceremony to cocktail hour, or the cocktail hour to dinner.

"This is not bluegrass!"

Peter Ford, Baby Soda Bandleader

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The Band's Instrumentation

Baby Soda Jazz Band’s instrumentation is a distinctive part of its sound. Most typically comprised of clarinet, trumpet, trombone, banjo, and one-string box bass, it’s the latter instrument that is most often inquired about by onlookers, belying its place in the back of the band.

In Baby Soda, a “low-boy” hi-hat and woodblock have replaced what would more traditionally be a washboard in the percussion section. These percussion instruments are regularly played by the band’s horn and banjo players, although there are times one may find the band augmented with the addition of a traditional trap kit drummer, especially for large dances.

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Rave Reviews

As it turned out, Baby Soda was the best wedding band I've ever heard, and I'd have felt that way even if it wasn't my own wedding. They are superb musicians playing beautiful, fun music, and they have a great feel for the complicated tone and tempo of a wedding. Everyone at our wedding (200+ guests) raved about the band, and said they'd never heard better.

Jesse

Baby Soda was an absolute dream to work with -- responsive, friendly, very flexible on number and composition of musicians, very amenable to special requests. The band was absolutely fantastic, lively, old-timey, and supremely skilled -- they elevated the joyous energy of our wedding in a human way recorded music never could have. Can't recommend more highly.

Baby Soda News

Meet us at WEDDING CRASHERS – March 20, 2022

Brooklyn’s groundbreaking “indie” wedding fair Wedding Crashers is back! SUNDAY MARCH 20th 12:00-4:00pm at THE GREEN BUILDING, 452 Union St. Brooklyn, NY 11231 & 501 UNION, 501 Union St. Brooklyn, NY 11231 Featuring inspiring wedding vendors in every category, from floral design to floor design. Come say hi to us at the Lucy Music table!! DON’T MISS!: Our beloved rock and pop string quartet, TRIBUTE STRING QUARTET, will perform, starting at 2:00pm! Look out for them in 501 Union. Amazing group! TSQ was an amazing addition to our wedding! We had the group play for our ceremony and they were so great. They added a classy yet fun vibe to our wedding, which was exactly what we were looking for. They have a huge selection – we had them play everything from Ave Maria to Just Like Heaven by The Cure. We highly recommend their cover of “At Last” for a wedding too!“ – Maria M., wedding client.